


A Supernatural Odyssey

by AltaGraye



Series: A Supernatural Odyssey [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: +17 minimum viewer age, Adult Situations, Angst and Tragedy, Death, F/M, Mythology References, Slice of Life, Some effed up stuff happens, This is my first spn fanfic don't kill me, semi-graphic depictions of violence, you were warned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2019-11-16 06:35:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18089288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltaGraye/pseuds/AltaGraye
Summary: Dean is dealing with his Darkness. He is drawn to a girl that he and Sam save while on a hunting trip. Can he open himself to being a father again? Or will this ultimately destroy him?





	1. Green With Envy

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning: Abuse may be a subject that is sensitive for some people, if you believe you need help, speak to someone. You matter. 
> 
> *****During later chapters there will be more intense adult situations, these will be alluded to. If you are reading this, you are responsible for your own viewership. I rated this series (Mature), because I believe persons with a mature mindset can handle this kind of story. I am debating on whether to make a certain event in this series a tad more descriptive since it's no longer solely on Amino. Using this platform in conjunction with Amino, allows me to breathe life into this story. Yes it will have a handful of rough scenes, but I will emphasize the importance of Family, and through my characters perseverance, She will learn to grow with her scars and rise above them. Someone once said to me, "life without conflict would not be worth living."

Supernatural fanfiction chapter 1 **part 1**

Written in simonetta font

Date: September/28/2018 - October 31st 2018

 

 

Important note****: this chapter takes place in season 10 just after the Oz episode (When Charlie returns for the first time.)  The title of that episode is “ There’s no place like home”.  For specifics it was Episode 11. It released on January 27th 2015. This would make our Main character in this fanfic (Phaedra), 19 almost 20 in june five months after the episode air date. This is different from my initial poll post. Having her be 23 (I set the date in present time because I myself am not finished watching Supernatural) I hope you enjoy this. Feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments, I will most likely reply to all of you. I hope you all have a happy Halloween/Samhain. I sincerely apologize for the lengthy post and the delay on writing. I hope to have the second part of this chapter to you soon. Stay well my desires! Love, Alta Graye.

 

** Series title: A Supernatural Odyssey **

** Chapter 1: Green with Envy: **

 

  * Cassadaga, Florida:



 

All was still in the house on the only hill in Cassadaga. If you could call it a hill, it was more like a mound, but with the flatness trademark of Florida it might as well have been a hill. She was just closing up shop when she realized there was one more customer. Marie Baudelaire III was still tired from a long days work of reading tarot and telling fortunes, giving some of them false hopes because no one wants to hear bad news. No one else was with the young woman on this muggy summer night. It was late, already dark, but Marie felt she had to make an exception to her ‘no customers after 7pm’ rule, that was clearly posted on her home door. The door protested with a loud screech as she opened it.

“Hello dear, C’mon in Sugar” said Marie while straightening her hair in its neat bun. The girl was meek but entered anyway. The screen door slammed back and gave the girl a jolt of fright. Marie chuckled, “Baby don’t let the door slap ya ass on the way out.”  Marie trudged off to her kitchen to get supplies. She grabbed tea leaves and some herbs that promoted visions, not the illegal kind mind you.

“Are ya allergic to lavender or Verbena sweetheart?” Marie called from her stove, reaching in the cabinet above. Since her late customer didn’t give a peep, Marie snatched the glass jar of lavender and turned to see a horrifying sight. Marie screamed in disbelief, prayed to Jesus and blessed herself the way Catholics do.

“B-B-B-But you’re supposed to be dead!” Marie cried in fear.  Her customer was not there for a reading, she was there for the woman’s life. Quite painfully the woman froze in her place. The jar of herbs falling to the kitchen tile with a shatter. Marie tried and tried but she couldn’t move at all. One tear streamed from her right eye.

“I get that a lot.” said the girl with a smirk.

The monster left her house and that old wooden screen door gave it’s good old cry. That was the last thing Marie Baudelaire III heard before her heart froze.

 

  * Lebanon, Kansas:



He was stirring about uncomfortably for a dream, yet they were ripe conditions for a nightmare. Nightmares greeted Dean like an old and unwanted friend that still stuck to him like a desperate puppy. Much like the stragglers in high school that followed about in his shadow after he’d knock a dweeb’s teeth in for messing with his Sammy. In his nightmare he was somewhere different. This was somewhere he’d never been before, but it reminded him of Louisiana and of Benny. The sweltering and suffocating humidity and big oak trees crowned in spanish moss, ominous yet strangely beautiful in their own right. He appeared in the middle of an orange tree grove.  

    Their scent permeated the air. He walked for about 50 yards until a small figure appeared from beyond the grove. It was a girl in a yellow sundress. She looked like Shirley Temple but with black hair and piercing green eyes. Dean noticed that she had no shoes on and deduced that she could not have been above 11. Dean crouched down on her level, groaning a bit from his knees cracking, he was getting older. He gave the girl a generic smile.

 

    “Hi there little girl, do you know where we are?” He asked her.

 

    “I’m not little, and besides, we are at home dummy-head.” she retorted twirling about innocently. Dean winced at her answer. They were probably ten yards from the girls house, enough for hearing distance, not enough though to make out what anyone was saying. There was an argument going on in there, a tense one. Suddenly the girl started to cry, it was a gentle suppressed cry. Dean felt sorry for the girl and felt it was necessary to give her a pat on the arm. _An innocent girl like you shouldn’t have to cry ever_ , he thought.

 

    “Mama says I’m too old to be playin’ with imaginary friends. But Mama don’t get it. I know you’re real.” the girl said choking back tears. The front door opened with a crash, making the girl jump and turn to see who was leaving.

 

    “You might not treat me with any respect and that’s fine, you’ve done it for years, but what about our daughter? Huh? Doesn’t she mean anything to you?” said what Dean could only assume was the girl’s father. He was the first to exit the house toting a duffle bag and suitcase in hand.

 

    “She doesn’t mean a thing if she can’t learn properly. Everything was perfect, a perfect bloodline, all that work for nothing. Fruitless! She’s already an embarrassment in the mundane world! I can’t bear to call her my own!” Screamed the woman stomping behind him.

 

    The man chucked his luggage into the bed of his truck. The girl was sobbing uncontrollably, ran up to her father, and clung onto his shirt.

 

    “Daddy! Don’t leave me. I’m sorry I wasn’t good. I’ll do better. I’ll do better next time! Daddy!” she cried. With that final word something snapped in the man.

 

    “There is no  next time!” he yelled turning around to face his weeping mess of a daughter. Seeing her in such a weak state enraged him. He struck her on the face for the first time. He did it with enough force to knock her back in the dirt.   _Oh Hell no!_ Thought Dean as he bounded forward toward the man, ready to clock him.

 

    “Is that the way you treat your daughter you son of a bitch?!” Dean swung but his arm went right through the man as if Dean were a ghost again.  

 

    “Phaedra Eris Tomilson, if you remember anything from this, come back to me when you grow up, no, when you’re powerful enough to take me on, then will you be worthy to be my daughter.”  He said slamming his truck door shut, and driving away.

 

“Good riddance Jaime! I never loved you anyway!” Phaedra’s mother taunted from the porch. Phaedra sat up wiping the tears from her cheeks. Dean was standing a few feet from her. She raised her head and thanked Dean.

 

“oh  Phaedra, who’re you talking to? Only numbnuts talk to their imaginary friends.” said her mother from the porch with her hands on her hips.

 

“Why don’t you come in, so that you don’t frighten the neighbor?”

 

“I don’t wanna go anywhere with you!” Phaedra said grabbing Dean’s pant leg.

“I said come in!!” her mother grunted. With a flick of her wrist phaedra’s hair stood on end as if someone were pulling it. Dean cursed under his breath, _no, no , no!_ The woman jerked her arm back and with it Phaedra was dragged by her hair, through dirt, up the porch stairs and into the house. Her mother slammed the door shut, and all was quiet.

  


Dean woke, sitting up right, jolted from his dream. The fresh smell of the orange blossoms were still crisp on his nose. He was drenched in sweat. He took a deep breath and sighed. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and took a long hot shower. During that alone time he stared at his scuffed knuckles, remembering how he beat up bad Charlie. _Maybe I shouldn't’ve saved that girl. I'm not in my right mind with the Mark still being here._

 

Dean grabbed a beer and some cereal and sat with a loud thud at the table next to Sam. Sam was enthralled in his laptop.

 

“Rough night?” Sam said.

 

“You don't know the half of it. What do we got this time?” Dean said through a mouthful of wheaties.

 

“ Glad you asked. Looks like a case down in Florida. A woman was found petrified to death in her home in Cassadaga.”

 

“ Petrified? You mean turned to stone kind of petrified.” Dean pondered.

 

“ Yeah that's what I'm thinking”  said Sam.

 

“So, we're gonna hunt friggin Medusa?”

 

“Looks like it. C'mon let's go. It's a 22 hour drive just to get there.” Sam closed his laptop abruptly.

 

“Hey! At least let a man finish his breakfast!” Dean yelled as Sam rounded the corner to go pack up the Impala.

 

  * Cassadaga, Florida:



    They drove all through the night and most of the day too. Being tired and looking tired were very distinct differences that the Winchester brothers were masters at. Most of the time they were always tired and by now coffee had near no effect on their systems, yet they chugged a good cup of colombian joe down anyway, just for kicks. They were crashing at the aptly named, Orange Motel. It was painted an ugly shade of orange that was probably faded from the sun and age. It took them ten minutes to get there from the motel. Something Sam didn’t mention, not even as they drove through the town of Cassadaga, was that Cassadaga was one of the country's most prominent “Spiritualist” community. If anything meant anything from the word _Spiritualist_ to Dean, it was witches. The brothers exchanged looks, causing Sam to chuckle.

 

    “C’mon man, it’s nothing we haven’t dealt with before.”

 

    “Witches! Friggin’ witches! If this case turns me into some animal, I swear to G-. Uggggggh Sammy. You couldn’t’ve told me? At least a warning. ‘Hey we’re working a  case but it’s in a whole town full of witches’ .” Ranted Dean.

 

    “Quit whining, the address is on the rural side of town.”

 

    Dean gave a groan in protest. Passing through the town wasn’t all that bad, just nearly every house with a sign or two in their yard posting “Psychic” and “Natural Healer”.  Dean wasn’t sure if that was the thing that made his stomach churn or if it was when they pulled in, that he recognized the area. He couldn’t help but stare at the neighboring house. It’s age and wear and tear weren’t the way he’d remembered in his nightmare. _How many years had it been?_ _Are you okay? Did you move out to escape that Hell?_ The orange groves were to the left of that old house. The groves were still healthy and bearing fruit. No car was in the driveway or near the house. _Maybe your bitch of a mother is out, huh?_

 

    “Hey, you alright? What are you looking at?” Said Sam snapping his fingers in front of Dean’s face to take him out of his trance.

 

    “What? Yeah I’m fine, let’s get this over with.” Dean regurgitated giving Sam a pat on the shoulder and walking into Marie Baudelaire III’s house. The local sheriff was in the kitchen where her body was. A number of nameless officers were about the house and it’s grounds scrounging for evidence.

 

    “What do we have here chief?” said Dean strolling into the kitchen after snapping a glance at a particularly hot cop passing by. Dean flashed his badge to the Sheriff and smiled, later crouching down to get a better angle at the perfectly still and preserved corpse.

 

    “ I dunno, in all my 25 years here in this quirky town, I ain’t never seen this.” Said the Sheriff taking off his long brimmed brown hat to fan himself from the heat. Even in the dead of winter, which for Florida wasn’t much with no snow, Marie’s house seemed to emanate heat.

 

    “Does the deceased have any known relatives?” Asked Dean just strolling in. He put on some gloves with a snap and picked up some of the herbs that were strewn about the floor next to her. He did it carefully as not to pick up some broken glass with it. He recognized the lavender but the second herb he couldn’t recognize right away. _Lavender and Verbena?_

 

    “No she never had any children and never married. She moved here from New Orleans about 20 years ago. She was quite popular until 9 years ago, just fell off the map, so to speak. Her neighbors the Tomilson’s were the only thing relatively close to her. And that’s not saying much.”  Said the sheriff.

 

    Dean felt his heart drop to his stomach as her name echoed in his head from her Father’s voice. _Phaedra Eris Tomilson._ He wanted to know so desperately if she was alright. He didn’t know why, but it was like they were connected somehow. Snapping out of his daydream, Dean shook his head rose up from the floor and stretched his back out.

    “Man I am really stumped about this one Sheriff.”  Said Dean as Sam entered the room.

 

    “Like I said I’ve got nothing, so to be honest I’m glad I’m leaving it in the hands of you boys. An old man like me needs his beauty sleep too you know? Eh, you’ll understand when you’re my age. Just catch the sumbitch will ya’?” That was the Sheriff’s final goodbye. And with him most if not all the police and csi crew were gone within the hour. Sam and Dean went to a nearby Mom-’n’-Pop joint for some burgers.

 

    They returned to the crime scene, parked Baby in Marie’s bricked driveway, and decided to interview the neighbor. Dean exhaled a nervous sigh for the first time in a while.

 

    ############## end of part 1.


	2. Green with Envy (continued)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phaedra's wits are put to their greatest test. Dean and Sam meet ghosts from their past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The (-------AO3*arrowdown), is an indication for another website (Amino) where I have separated the possibly inappropriate content. The entire chapter is posted here.

Spn fanfiction (A Supernatural Odyssey)

Chapter 1 part 2

Series title: A Supernatural Odyssey

Date: Friday, March 1, 2019- Thursday March 21, 2019

Chapter 1 title: Green with envy.

Date of story setting: January 27th 2015 

(shortly after the airing of episode “There’s no place like home”)

 

 

 

They returned to the crime scene, parked Baby in Marie’s bricked driveway, and decided to interview the neighbor. Dean exhaled a nervous sigh for the first time in a while.

Noticing this Sam furrowed his brow in mix of concern and confusion.

“You alright, cowboy? Haven’t we done this a million times? What’s up?” Asked Sam looking at his older brother intently. It wasn’t like Dean to act like this, not at all.

“Yep, dandy.” Said Dean, giving his brother something, he didn’t want to hear. It was so automated. Sam knew there was something bothering him. And it was killing him because he knew Dean was lying again. Even still he brushed it off and gave a loud knock at the door,

“Hello? Is anyone home? FBI open up. We want to ask about Marie.” Said Sam in his big boy voice. Dean mustered up the courage and banged on the door loudly.

“Ugh. Who is it now?” came a disgruntled voice from inside. Dean recognized the voice to be Phaedra’s mother. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind, maybe even with a knuckle sandwich on the side. The door opened with a horrible squeaking sound.

“What da ya want? I was already questioned by the police.” Said Isadora grumpily. She took one look at the Winchester boys and knew who they were. It was like she had magical sight or something of that sort. She gasped audibly and rushed to close the door. Dean shoved his foot inside and grabbed for his gun. Sam was a bit confused and thought Dean was using excessive force. Maybe he was still having angry side effects from the Mark of Cain? Sam thought.

\-------------------------------------------------------------AO3 ¯

 Phaedra was there in the kitchen washing dishes, diligently doing her chores as she had been told. She was startled by the disruption, but her mother’s actions horrified her. Isadora yelled at her, “How dare you bring hunters into this house?! You; ungrateful worm!”

Isadora gripped her daughter by the jaw and dug her sharp nails into her frail skin, drawing blood. Dean was already fuming, now this just iced the cake. Phaedra dropped a freshly washed dish on the floor, shattering it.

“That was a priceless gift! Unlike you, ‘Gift from the Gods’ the Oracle told me. You’ve never once blessed this family. That’s why your father left me, because you were always too weak!”

“Stop it!” yelled Dean as he approached Isadora. When Dean touched her, she motioned her hand and Dean and Sam flew across the room hitting the wall, they were pinned there. Isadora reveled in her control over her daughter. She just kept slapping and punching her until she was satisfied. Isadora pinned her daughter on the opposite wall, so that she could see the hunters clearly. Phaedra’s lip was busted, and blood was flowing from a cut above her eyebrow, her face was bloodied, and her beauty now mangled. No child should ever have to go through this, thought Sam.

Dammit! If I could only move, then I can do something! Thought Dean. Phaedra was crying, she couldn’t help but cry even if she never wanted to cry. She thought it was another reason to think that she was weak and feeble.

“Stop your whining and answer my question stupid girl. Did you summon these hunters?”

“No! of course not!” Phaedra said through her sobbing and sniffling through her nose. Why can’t you just let me be? She thought.

“Look, and use that dumb brain of yours, I know you’ve been in the Astral. Do you recognize them?” Isadora’s harsh words rang through Phaedra’s head like a hot knife through butter. With the blood stinging her eyes she answered,

“I don’t think I saw the tall one. But maybe the short haired one?” She said trying to hide a white-lie. She was certain she’d seen Dean before. She was the one who reached out to him in the first place. She had never been a good liar. It just wasn’t in her nature, or perhaps that was an attribute that had been submitted out of her long ago.

Isadora was brimming with anger. How dare this blight of a child summon a hunter here and subject me to danger? She thought. She knew she didn’t have a lot of energy left, Dean could wriggle about now in the suspended space. Isadora cursed under her breath and let her hold go on Phaedra and the boys. She made a quick escape through the back door. Sam tended to Phaedra and Dean instinctively went to find where Isadora had escaped to.

Seeing that she’d found a car and was driving away, Dean shot at it to no avail. She’d escaped.

The boys took Phaedra back to the Orange Motel and started to make sense of it all. With a wince, Phaedra backed away from Dean, tending to her cuts with a bottle of whiskey he found stashed in the back of Baby.

“Ow, dammit. Don’t you have a first aid kit or something?” She said, grabbing hold of his arm that had the Jack Daniels soaked cloth.

“Does this look like a hospital to you? Sorry princess.” Dean said putting the cloth back on her cut.

“Don’t call me princess. I hate that word.” She retorted.

“So far, no leads on Marie’s case. But I have a hunch.” Said Sam walking in with a bag of goodies from the local Gas n’ Sip across the street.

“What’s that?” Dean said, washing out the bloody cloth.

Sam gave a look at Phaedra, like he didn’t want to talk about it with her here.

          “There might be a connection between our Medusa and Isadora.” He said tossing Dean a sandwich. Gingerly he passed a second sandwich to Phaedra and gave her a quick smile.

          “Thank you.” She said.

          “Spill it. But before you do, I have a problem.” Said Dean through a mouthful of sandwich.

          “Problem?” asked Sam.

          “Yeah, Pie! We’re in Florida there should be Key lime pie, everywhere right?”

           Sam tossed a slice of pumpkin pie to his brother, he hadn’t forgotten about pie in a long time.

          “So, I didn’t find any Hex bags, which is weird. But I did find a lot of Greek things in Phaedra’s house.”

          Phaedra couldn’t control her laughter,

“You think we use Hex bags? That’s a Celtic tool. And those _things_ you found are images of the Olympians on our altars. My mom is a bad person, that doesn’t make her a murderer.”

“What’s the _Astral_? That’s something she mentioned. And how do you know Dean?”

“I don’t know Dean. But I’ve seen him. It’s a bit like Déjà vu on steroids. The Astral is short for the Astral Realm. Maybe you’ve heard of Astral Projection? I can’t do that yet, it’s advanced magic. The ancient people used it to receive messages from the divine. It’s a lot like dreaming. Here’s an example, I make a phone call, and someone answers that call. Dean answered my call.” Phaedra explained.

“Why so far away? Across state lines, how come there wasn’t one closer that answered it?” Asked Sam finishing his dinner.

“Not if they aren’t strong enough to pick up the phone.”

“And I just magically was enough to tap into you?” Asked Dean looking confused.

“I guess so. I don’t know why that memory decided to show up either.” Said Phaedra.

“Has your dad showed back up yet?” Asked Dean. She shook her head, no.

“Maybe you could tap into the killer?” Sam asked, reading the room. Dean shouldn’t’ve asked that question.

“I can try.” Phaedra stated.

“Well, let’s get some shut eye. We’re gonna need it.” Said Dean rising from his bed and shutting off the lights.

Phaedra covered herself with the stiff motel comforter and began to weep. This was her first taste of freedom, and to have it by these strangers. She thought she didn’t deserve it because she didn’t fight for her own freedom. She was letting someone else do the work for her, again. She was failing, again.

Sam and Dean heard her crying, and their hearts were heavy for her.

“Guys? Thank you, for saving me. You’re such nice people.” She managed to choke out.

“No problem, kid.” Dean said.

“You’re welcome.” Replied Sam.

Getting sleep was no problem for Phaedra. Crying herself to sleep was a habit. But this time it was different, it was happy. She knew it wasn’t over yet. Her mother would surely find her, and this time she was fighting back. This time getting into the Astral was a little more difficult than before. She was transported back home, this time in her parent’s orange field. Something was coming for her. Through the shadows of the night she couldn’t make out who it was.

It came out of the trees swiftly, her mother. She was desperate to tell Phaedra something. She was naturally hesitant and tentative towards her mother but this time something was off about her. It was as if she were from a different time period. The time when she had a strong, unconditionally loving, and healthy relationship with her mother. She spoke and spoke, but Phaedra could never hear her.

Just then she heard Dean calling out to her. Was he there? Or was it a trick of the Astral Realm? She looked about around her but couldn’t find him. Something grabbed her arm tightly, long nails scraping at her soft skin. She looked at its face. It was beautiful at first like porcelain. Simultaneously her hair turned to snakes hissing and snapping at her. The creature screamed and open her eyes.

Shook from fear, Phaedra screamed reflexively. She jolted up from her sleeping position. Dean and Sam were already awake, perhaps not for long. Dean comforted her and let his hand rest on her shoulder,

“Are you okay?” He asked her looking slightly worried.

“Do I look okay?!” she retorted.

“What did you see?” questioned Sam.

“I saw my mom. But she was different. She looked like she was when she loved me. She was talking to me but my ears. I couldn’t hear. And you called for me but never showed up. And then ugh. It grabbed me and showed me it’s eyes. I thought I was a goner.” Phaedra explained gripping her arm where the Gorgons claws had been.

“Do you think she killed again?” Asked Sam.

“I don’t know for sure. Maybe if we leave for my house tonight, we’ll find out?” Phaedra said trusting her hunch.

“Woah. Wait. Do we even know how to kill one of these?” Dean said, throwing on his jacket. Dean and Sam shot looks at Phaedra.

“What? Do I look like a Greek encyclopedia? The last person to kill a Gorgon was Perseus. One hasn’t been seen in centuries.”

“So, then what do we do now?” Asked Sam.

“We wait for nightfall.” Stated Dean plopping back down on his bed.

*Later that night:

 

Dean put Baby in park and glanced at Sam, “Ok ready?”

Sam put one in the chamber, a witch killing bullet. They were sure how to kill at least one of the things they were hunting tonight. It was worth something to at least try. Phaedra made an attempt to exit the car but was abruptly stopped by Dean. He made quick of himself and handcuffed both her hands to the steering wheel. She yanked at the cuffs in a short fit of disbelief and rage. Dean peered at her through the open window as Sam rounded the Impala to meet up with his brother.

“I could help you!” Phaedra rose her voice at Dean, not understanding why they were underestimating her.

“We can handle ourselves little lady.” Retorted Dean taunting her by waving the key in his hand and putting it in his pocket.

“We’re sorry, we just don’t want you to get hurt.” Said Sam from behind his brother.

“Oh, you happen to have one of those hairpins, do you?” asked Dean.

“So now you think I’m a skilled jailbreaker? Not everyone knows how to do that.” she replied sharply.

“Nice to know sweetheart.” Dean waved at her with his back turned, ready to move on to his next objective. The front door opened with a soft creak. Immediately upon stepping foot in the house it hit them like a ton of bricks. Dean sniffed the air, he knew that smell. A few years ago he would wake up to that. It made him uneasy at first, but the more he sniffed, the more he was certain she was there in that house. Completely infatuated with her, he left his brother alone in the front of the house, as if he had gone into it alone. Dean started up the stairs. Sam whispered loudly at him,

“Dean?!” he said looking from room to room, Sam was getting nervous and scared. That wasn’t normal. At the top of the stairs, still in Sam’s’ sight He heard Dean call out to Lisa. Sam heard a familiar voice calling him as well. He walked forward to the kitchen, “Amelia?” he called in disbelief.

Back in the Impala, Phaedra sighed. It had been an hour and thirty minutes since they entered. Something came over her, an intense feeling of sleep. It was effortless, she saw black at first but when she opened her eyes, she was back in the Impala still cuffed to her wheel. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or if she’d entered the Astral Realm. A strong gust of wind blew through the open car window. She had an ominous feeling followed by a pit forming in her stomach. She needed to get out of that car. She closed her eyes and focused her energy.

“Helios!” with that utterance she was free from her cuffs, they lie on the floorboard of Baby glowing as if they’d been cut by the rays of the sun. The fog had rolled in while she was sleeping. Now she could barely see in front of her face. It was an unusually cold night. Something typical that Phaedra knew about the weather here, where she’d always lived, was to expect bipolar style fluctuations. Baby’s door thudded loudly as she shut it.

“Phaedra? Please I don’t have much time. I need you to listen to me.” Said a voice from beyond the fog. Her mother was there standing before her, except she was beautiful, ethereal really.

“Mom?” she pondered inching closer tentatively.

“I’m not gonna hurt you anymore Baby. I know you won’t forgive me for it, I did all those horrible things to you. Someone tricked me, cursed me. And now my time is up. They are coming after me. I can’t let them have you. You’re meant to do great things sweetie. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to be there for you. Gods, I’ve missed so much. He made me ruin you. You have to run. Get out of here!!!!” At the end of her plea, Isadora was engulfed in heat, smoke, flames. Fears that were quintessential to anyone who called themselves witch.

Phaedra woke with a jolt. A solitary tear fell from her cheek as she found herself still bound to the Impala. She didn’t understand her mother’s words, but she knew she needed to act fast or else. _Helios!_ Free from her bindings she stepped out of the Impala. The fog was already there, but for how long? How many hours has it been? Where are Sam and Dean? Her mother?

Chills went up her spine, a familiar feeling was clutching at her again. Claw-like nails drawing blood. She shut her eyes as hard as she could. She whimpered as she felt the snakes’ coil around her neck and through her long curly hair. The hissing of them loudly in her ears. _I can’t look!_  She heard her mothers voice again.

“It’s okay Baby, open your eyes. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I love you, I always have. He cursed me. Can’t we start over? We’ll live a life that others envy. Don’t you want to see me?” it said.

“You’re not her. You’re not real!” Phaedra reassured herself. The Gorgon’s grip tightened, making wounds. A flash of bright white light struck the Gorgon’s arm, loosening it’s hold on Phaedra. The Gorgon writhed and screamed in protest. Her arm was severed and limp on the ground. Next to the appendage stand a silvery arrow. _Artemis?_ Thought Phaedra. Before her eyes, the arrow changed itself into an ancient dagger. She took it with her thinking it would be strong enough to kill the Gorgon.

Angry the Gorgon slithered around the Impala before topping the trunk, Baby’s metal whining against the Gorgon’s weight. Phaedra closed her eyes again. She knew one peak would petrify herself. She waited until it got real close, feeling it’s hot breath on her neck, fangs scratching at her skin. She gave one good thrust, she’d made contact. The snakes hissed shrilly until she turned to stone, the dagger still lodged in her chest. Phaedra felt around, making sure that she could open her eyes once again. She let out a sigh of relief. The dense fog had disappeared.

“Phae! Are you okay?” Dean low voice called to her.

 

\--------

5 minutes ago,

Dean couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Lisa sitting on the bed in the room at the end of the hall.

“You have to trust your heart Dean. I know leaving me and Ben hurt. But that girl out there, she’s written in the stars. I know you may not feel like it now but she’s yours. You’re drawn together. Something keeps you two together, fate maybe? She is going to feel more like yours than you thought Ben was.” Lisa uttered.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Dean said trying to make sense of it.

“You’ll understand in time. Dean, it’s so important that you don’t give up on her.” Lisa whimpered, her wrist bled profusely. Dean set down his gun on the bedside table and ripped a piece of his shirt off to make a tourniquet.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m not real after all. I’m just a messenger. But she’s out there fighting all alone. Ben, he uh, started high school today. And I remarried. But you’re not forgotten.” A tear fell from her face as blood started to gush from her chest. Dean couldn’t help himself from trying to comfort his former lover, real or illusion didn’t matter to him. He held her hand and sat on the bed beside her.

“You’re too sweet.” Were her last words as she cupped her hand into Dean’s cheek lovingly. Dean stared into her eyes as she turned to stone and crumbled into dust. Dean furrowed his brow and covered his face with his hands. _She wasn’t real_. Taking a long sigh, he pulled himself together and strode down the stairs.

“Sam?!” he called. No answer wasn’t a good sign. He searched every room in the house and finally found him in the kitchen. He was sitting in one of the dinning room chairs shocked and starring at a pile of dust in the adjacent chair.

“She was right there. Her chest.” He numbly answered.

“I’m sorry. It happened to me too. C’mon, we gotta find Phaedra.” Dean gave Sam a tender pat on the back. They stepped out onto the porch a dense fog was clearing. Dean could barely make out figures in front of his Impala.

“Phae! Are you okay?” He called out to the figures. Seeing clearer now, he rushed over to Phaedra. Noticing the deep wounds in her arm, he used the ripped flannel piece as a makeshift bandage for her.

“Good going kid. Hunting 101. A+” He said as he tied it tightly and smiled.

“Did you find my mom?” She asked looking worryingly at Sam and Dean. In the distance they all heard a shrill scream from the orange grove. Wasting no time, Phaedra bounded after it.

“Hey! Dammit, kids.” Scoffed Dean as he followed her, Sam backing him up guns, drawn. Phaedra came upon the scene in shock and confusion.

“Mama? Who hurt you?” Phaedra knelt beside her mother, who was stabbed and in bad shape.

“Run, before they see you. The Vanquishers. They won’t hesitate to kill you off.”

“You need a hospital, Dean call 911. I’m not leaving you.” Phaedra said grappling for her mother’s arm in an attempt to help her up.

“Just listen to me just this once! Get out of here, far away. You can live with them. Please don’t get yourself killed because of me.” Isadora rose her voice. She made a motion with her hand, sending her daughter back to the Winchester brothers. Sam helped Phaedra from the dirt.

The flapping of wings was a sign to Isadora that they were too late. The vanquishers had arrived to collect their bounty.

“Isadora Tomilson. You have been sentenced to death by incineration for your transgressions of dark witchery. As seen and evidenced by the human population, the summoning of a Gorgon. Your sight has been clouded with envy. For the death of Marie Baudelaire lll. You will be shown no mercy.” The three angels spoke in unison. One of them holding her hands behind her. Another with an angel blade in hand ready to strike while the other one just watched.

Just before the angel blade pierced her, she whispered a spell. _Icarus._ Grandiose brown wings sprung forth from Phaedra’s back as the angel blade thrust into Isadora. Phaedra managed to grab Sam and Dean’s hands, taking them with her. The fire was what Phaedra remembered the most, it’s unrelenting heat confirming her mother’s death. She didn’t have time to say goodbye, or even cry. The wings had taken them back to the front of the Bunker, far away from Cassadaga. Phaedra aimlessly crossed the street and trudged into the grassy field as she wept. The sun came up to greet them. Its rays struck Phaedra’s wings harshly, burning them off. When the light faded, she slumped down in the soft grass unconscious. The last thing she remembers was Dean’s voice calling for her, both Sam and Dean’s heavy-footed sounds, and a bit of nudging to try and wake her.

End of Chapter 1 part 2.


	3. Welcome to the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Phaedra pass her most haunting test yet? The boys learn about a horrific long kept secret. Phae meets Cas.
> 
> **warning: themes of self-harm and sexual violence and child abuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning themes of self-harm and sexual violence and child abuse.
> 
> sorry about the funky spacing.

Chapter 2: Welcome to the jungle  
Phaedra’s age: 19  
Phaedra’s P.O.V.:

Sleeping was almost no problem, almost. I couldn’t lay down on my back because Apollo burned it where my wings had been. I’d cried myself to sleep again, partly because of the physical pain of the burn and the loss of my mother. Maybe it hurt more because I knew we could have started to fix things? I saw my good future with her engulfed in flames, never to come back. That killed me, I tried so hard to impress her when all my good efforts would get me beaten up in the end. My self-esteem was non-existent. There were brief moments of hope, the light at the end of a dark dreary tunnel. Those were moments when I thought I could escape. Thoughts of getting a ends-meet job and just starting anew.   
But this was something completely different. How did these guys make money? Surely, they weren’t real FBI. Waking up, I felt refreshed. The kind of feeling you get after taking a long hard sleep, or getting a well-deserved professional massage. It felt dreamy, and beyond relaxing. My back didn’t hurt anymore, and it felt as if some of the tensed muscles had been soothed as well. I was being healed magically by some divine being. I stretched thinking I was alone in my bed inside the bunker, glancing behind me quickly realizing I was in fact, not alone. A man with a trench coat and piercing blue eyes was staring back at me. 

“Oh, Hello.” Was all he could spit out before I rudely interrupted him.   
“Notus! ” Gesturing with my hand I sent him flying out of my room, into the hallway and crashing against it. He landed with a grunt. Heavy feet came from beyond the hallway. A disgruntled Dean responded, “What the Hell?”  
“That’s what I should be saying. Who is this?” I said, shocked, up from bed and ready for a fight. Sam poked his head through the door way and smiled a bit at the defensive damage I’d done to him. 

“Dean, your guest is very rude.” Cas said getting up from the floor with a grunt.   
“Yeah sorry about that. Uh, there isn’t an easy way to say this but he’s an angel. But he’s not like the others, he’s good.” I felt uneasy about it.   
“you can’t expect me to be hunky dory with it.” I told Dean. I didn’t let the blue tied guy escape my gaze. I shouldn’t have trusted these hunters. When I get the chance, I’ll escape. Sam gawked at the broken wall and cursed under his breath. Realizing my mistake, I fixed it the only way I knew how, by magic.  
“Watch this, Gaia!” I said while snapping my fingers, and the wall fixed itself, it’s drywall and tiles forming together again to its previous perfect state. I smiled at my work, just like new! Pleased with the job I did, Dean turned to me,

“I knew I liked you. No need for a handyman anymore.”  
Sam checked his phone that was violently vibrating.   
“Looks like we’ve got a case.” He announced to no one in particular.  
We all followed him to the main lobby, where the table with the map was. “What do we have now?” asked Dean.  
“couples have started to commit murders together, and then offing themselves in Rothbury, Idaho.”  
“So, Bonnie and Clyde plus Romeo and Juliet?” pondered Dean. Cas looked confused at first but then remembered Romeo and Juliet were fictional characters.  
“That’s all? Why can’t the local police handle that?” I asked.

“Well, they can’t because there are too many of these murders happening. Rothbury has too much on it’s plate, local PD can’t keep up.” Explained Sam.   
“let’s leave in 10.” Dean said before leaving to pack up Baby and make sure her bells and whistles were all straightened out.   
“My name is Castiel. But Sam and Dean call me Cas.” The blue-eyed angel said to me. All I did was look at him and take a step away from him.   
The drive over was awkward; I sat next to Cas the entire ride over. Driving through Rothbury was eerie. Barely anyone was walking around the streets and the people who were looked like they were all scared. It felt good to stretch my legs once we got out of the Impala. Dean parked in front of the police station. I felt a bit out of place since I wasn’t dressed like the rest of the crew. Cas and Sam came around from the passenger side of the Impala.   
“What’s the plan?” Asked Cas getting a little too close to me, making me back up against the car.   
“Sam and I will see what’s up with the Sheriff. Phae you can interview the locals but no magic, that’ll just complicate things.” I crossed my arms and started walking down the barren sidewalks of Rothbury. Dean put a few more words in to Cas before letting him go. I was curious to find out if they were talking about me. I don’t know the slightest thing about hunting. I don’t even know how I can adjust to this, life. I suppose I don’t have to be like this. But eventually along the road, won’t there be some hunter waiting for me to get checked off his kill list too?

I am a witch but, I don’t want to be like the others. My mom. I kept walking looking in the little shops and boutiques through their glass. I stopped to look at a real old sewing machine. The kind that had the manual foot peddle. Momma had one like it, I remember her usin’ it to sew my yellow sundress. She’d made it herself; I was so happy that she’d made something for me. Being a ten-year-old I had no comprehension how long she’d spend on it. The countless hours. I remember being so sad when it was dirty, because it was the first thing Momma ever made me with genuine love. That’s when she’d started to treat me like an unfit dog. All I wanted was to make her proud of me. To stop screwing up in school and do something with myself. I have been so confused over these past few weeks. What did she mean she’d been tricked? Wasn’t she just psycho? There had to be some kind of scientific explanation for her actions. 

I put my hand to the cool glass, “Momma, what happened?” I spoke to no one. I closed my eyes and put my forehead to the glass. I didn’t let myself cry. I was sick of tears and hurting. But still my heart ached. Will I end up like you? In flames for existing here on Earth? I can’t just up and lose my powers. I’m terrified. Those angels are going to hunt me down.   
“Do you want to purchase that?” Cas asked startling me.   
“No, I’m just looking.” I told him giving the dusty sewing machine a last look before continuing. No one was around until a bookstore clerk fervently opened his door and went inside. 

“Excuse me. Sir? Wait. We want to ask you about what’s been happening here.” I tried to stay polite without being overbearing. He locked the door from the other side.   
“I’m sorry ma’am I have nothing to do with it.” He said and continued about his humble business.   
“What the hell? I’m just trying to help.”   
“Seems this will be tougher than we thought. Here, I have an idea.” Cas trailed behind me like a puppy or rather some creepy stalker. It didn’t make me feel any better that he dressed weird either. Who wears a trench coat anymore? I reluctantly followed him across the street to Betty’s bar. Usually you’d expect a bar to be full of people but this time it wasn’t. The aroma of beer was nice and thick, it was an unfamiliar smell. There was a couple at the bar too busy sucking face to pay attention to anyone else. Cas and I sat at the bar. The bartender stood in front of him silently asking him for his drink of choice.   
Cas gave him a small smile and reflexively said, “Hennessey, please.” As the bartender left us to fix Cas’ drink, Cas leaned in closer to me to talk.   
“You see the couple to our right? Isn’t that our target? All the victims have been couples.” The bartender came back with the drink and Cas thanked him for it. The bartender gave me a glass, but I politely pushed it back towards him and waved my hand as a thank you.   
“So, you think we should wait for the prey to come to us?” I surmised.

“And so, the hunter becomes the hunted.” Cas said. We waited as Cas downed his 20th drink.   
“Dude, do angels even get alcohol poisoning?” I asked him.  
“I suppose it’s possible, I drank a liquor store once.” Cas said.   
“A whole store, just down the hatch?” I was amazed. Cas chuckled a bit.  
“Yeah.” He responded. Our attention was diverted from the door opening. I was trying hard to keep my cool. I’m a bad actress and an even worse liar. I started to get increasingly queasy, just like when I was in sixth grade drama class. I upchucked all over the stage during my part. It was painfully easy for Cas to see that something was wrong with me. The woman looked phenomenal. She was the embodiment of a playboy cover. She was fully equipped with a very red dress, dirty blonde hair, perfect makeup, tanned skin, ruby red lipstick, a voluptuous rack, and heels that I could only hope to wear. 

She waltzed right up to the couple, embraced them across the shoulders and smiled,   
“Young love. You should be celebrating. Bartender, two White Russians on me. And would you be so kind to give me a Bloody Mary?” The couple were astonished at the generosity of the strange woman and thanked her. The woman sat one seat next to me. Oh Gods, I can’t do this. I covered my mouth; I could feel the sickening sting of bile rising in my esophagus and a knot forming in my stomach. 

“I have to go to the bathroom.” I managed to say muffled through my hand. Cas had a look on his face like I was abandoning him. I found the nearest stall and let it rip. The smell was atrocious and the feeling even more so. I washed my hands at the sink and looked at my face in the mirror. C’mon, Phaedra! I can’t handle just one hunt? My new family will think I’m just as useless as my old family thought I was. Of course, they’ll think that. Once a failure always a---.  
The restroom door swung open. It was the incredibly pretty woman. She stood next to me and reapplied her lipstick. I stood there frozen.   
“You know, people pay good money to have curls like yours. If only it wasn’t so dry. A leave-in-conditioner should fix that. But I know what you really want.” She ran her fingers through my hair, twirling a curl admiringly. This was way too close for comfort.   
“I appreciate the beauty tips, Barbie. But has no one taught you about personal space?” I tried to be polite, but it ended up sounding rude.  
The woman chuckled at me creepily and put her hands on my shoulders, she kissed my forehead and left the bathroom. I felt a wave of energy wash over me like hot shower water. It gave me chills, and then I felt good. Like I had no worries anymore. I didn’t know where that strange woman went afterward but I wanted to thank her. I rounded the corner to see the couple from earlier had the Bartender and Cas at gun point. I stood next to Cas like nothing was wrong, but I still stared the couple down.   
“What took you so long? I’m in a cucumber here” Cas said through his teeth. I laughed and corrected him,   
“It’s pickle, you’re in a pickle. Hey, we’re all in pickles. Hahaha.” I sat in front of Cas on the bar stool and spun myself around like a kid.   
“Well, lovebirds? What’s all the bark without some bite? You gonna shoot or not?” I challenged them.  
“Phaedra you’re not acting like yourself. Where did that woman go?” Cas asked.

“Shhhh, let them have some fun. Sorry continue” I rolled my eyes.   
“I have the perfect idea, Lawrence?” the woman’s significant other pointed the gun towards the bartender. The bartender pleaded for his life, stammering over his words, “Please, I have two kids at home.” Cas felt the need to chip in too. “Lawrence, you don’t have to be a killer. Put it do—”  
Lawrence gave the bartender no mercy and unloaded the whole clip into his chest, some of his blood got on my face, he slumped down against all the liquor. Some of the bottles fell. Lawrence and his wife were very pleased with themselves, giddy even. They embraced each other and kissed passionately. Cas looked very disappointed, but I was the one who started crying, oddly enough. I interrupted their make-out session. 

“Hey, that wasn’t nice. He said he had kids. Do you have any idea what it’s like to grow up without a father? Your mother greets you home from school with a fist. And Daddy won’t help you even when he watches. He leaves because you’re not strong enough.” I grabbed a half empty bottle of Fireball that was nearest to me and started chugging. It burned a lot, but that was okay. The couple gave each other one last kiss, joined hands, and blew themselves away.   
Sam and Dean saw it happen too; they were at the door when the couple pulled their triggers. They must have come when they heard the Bartender get shot. The brothers had shocked looks on their faces. Sam holstered his gun first and came through the door. 

“Why didn’t you stop them?” Sam asked panning over the carnage.   
“They held us hostage, I didn’t want them to hurt Phaedra.” Cas explained as he got up from his chair. I stared at the couple and the bartender for a moment. I’ve never witnessed murder before let alone see a real dead body. I felt sad for them, more so for the children of the bartender.   
“Well, that sucks.” I said to no one in particular, I took another swig of Fireball and banged on the bar from the sting. Dean looked at me and then back at Cas. Dean waltzed over to me and snatched the fireball out of my hand.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked wiping the bartender’s blood from my face. He looked a little more concerned.   
“The blood ain’t mine dumbass.” I took back the bottle and stormed out of the bar. I didn’t get far, only to the end of the street. Out of habit I pressed that button on the crosswalk. I couldn’t help myself from crying breaking down once again. Seems like that the only thing I’m good for, self-destruction. I drank the rest of what was in the bottle. I could hear Dean calling out for me. I leaned against the crosswalk and slumped down on my knees. I broke the empty bottle against the pillar. The neck was still intact, it’s ends sharp and jagged. I knew what I wanted, I’d done it before, as cruel punishment. I knew it was wrong, but it was the only thing that gave me relief.   
I pressed it against the soft skin on my forearm, I let it rip and tear, and the blood flowed so easily. It hurt, bad, I let out some kind of cry. I guess Dean finally realized what I was doing to myself. He got to me first. 

“Phae! Dammit why’d you do that?” he raised my arm above my heart, looking at the gashes, getting blood on his suit. I felt dizzy and wanted to throw up. Weakly I responded to him as Cas and Sam caught up to us,  
“I just want everything to go away. No one’ll miss me anyway.” All I could think about was monsters from my past, the real ones. Not gorgons or ghosts or ghouls. These monsters were supposed to love me unconditionally. My parents. I used to be very close to my father and mother, before they started the Trials. Since I was this “prophesized” chosen one for the Gods, much like Heracles and all the other demi-gods, I would be put to trails from a very young age. It started when I was 8. The trails were grueling and cruel even for a common fully-grown man. It’s a lot like getting one of those old-school allergy tests. The type where they put a bunch of scratches on your back and see what you react to. Except they exposed me to magic of the Gods. Once a week for 2 years I would be put to the test to see what I could handle. What was too much or too little? I never succeeded once, or so I remember. They injected me with Hydra venom, made me experience the weight of the world and the Heavens just like Atlas, and they’ve broken my bones more times than I can count. The Trails stopped once Dad left, but those events never really left me. Mom was still aggressively abusive.  
The feelings I was experiencing now, they were too real. I needed escape. I knew I was free from my parents, but I don’t know how to handle being with another family. I don’t ever want to let my guard down again. I’m too afraid of being hurt or abused, again. Naturally I started crying, something I hated doing, because throughout the Trials, I would do it non-stop. Mom beat it into my head that crying was a sign of vulnerability and weakness, most times she’d taught me that lesson literally. 

I could feel the calming warmth wash over me again, Cas was healing me. In my confused and broken state, I couldn’t exactly differentiate from Dean and Jamie, my real father. When I spoke, I was speaking to Jamie but looking at Dean, “No more. Please Daddy, no more Trails. I can’t take anymore. I’m never going to be your demi-god.” Dean, along with Sam and Cas, were speechless. They didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. Even though Cas was healing me I felt some other pull, a strong gravity, I’d passed out before I knew anything else.   
I remember going in and out of consciousness. I remember the rumble of Baby’s engine, my head cradled in Dean’s lap in the backseat, and talk of demi-god lore. I remember feeling like a burden to them, my new family, all my baggage was now out in the open.   
“Greek lore states demi-gods are to be tested through Trials. Grueling exercises that included injecting the prophesized demi-god with Hydra venom, breaking bones, burning parts of their body, depriving them of food and drink. The list goes on.” Cas sounded like he was reading from some article. I would have laughed seeing him read from a tablet or phone. 

“Jesus Christ, they tortured her. If I only knew back in ’05. Then I could’ve come and got her. I was so close, New Orleans, just a 5-hour drive. That’s nothing.” Said Dean.  
“You would have been too late, once the prophesized demi-god turns 8 years of age the Trails start. Very few test subjects survive. The children usually die before their trials are completed.” Informed Cas further.   
“Savage sons’ o’ bitches.” Cursed Dean.

“that’s terrible but it makes sense why there are so few demi-gods in history.” Sam spoke up.  
“Some special cases have arisen throughout Greek history. If the test subject can wield sacred weapons of previous demi-gods their trails are complete. At this point they have reached their goal and are now full-fledged demi-gods. Special circumstances may take place where the child is able to fight with all the sacred Greek weapons, if such occurrences are true, the child will ascend to God or Goddess-hood. Thus, transcending their initial purpose.” Cas stated.   
“That’s crazy. I didn’t know it was like that.” Sam said. I rustled a bit in Dean’s lap, he instinctively combed the hair out of my face. I fell back into a deep dark sleep. I didn’t dream about anything this time and I didn’t go to the Astral. That’s something I’m thankful for. I woke up with Cas staring at me from the other bed in the motel room.   
“Are you always this creepy?” I asked him, sitting up in bed.

“I don’t sleep.” Cas responded, “How do you feel? You scared all of us.”   
“I have a headache. I’m hungry. I’m sad. I’m angry. I feel like I’m not worth anything.”   
“You think what happened to you. The Trials and your abuse, you think that’s what dictates who you are today? You deserve so much better. Dean, he’d do anything to see you happy.”

“I just. The wool is over my eyes. I can’t see it yet. I need time.” I told him.  
Cas gave me a tender smile, “ we’ll give you all the time in the world.” Before I could say thank you and tell him that he was an alright angel, Sam and Dean opened the door.   
“well look who’s up and at ‘em.” Said Dean with a smile on his face. Sam sat at the small hotel room table and pulled out his laptop. Dean grabbed a beer and something from the mini fridge.   
“Tell them your theory Einstein.” Said Dean through a mouthful of burger.   
“Okay. So, as we know, couples have been offing themselves and murdering other people. And from what we saw with Phae. Plus, this influence of this gorgeous blonde woman. I think we are dealing with Aphrodite” said Sam.   
“How do we know she just wasn’t a witch?” I asked.

“we don’t but we have some pretty good hunches. Cas, you said the couple acted normal until she touched them. We think she took away their love for others, hence murder would be as easy as swatting a fly” Sam explained.  
“So then what happened to me?” I asked.  
“Well, you downed that Fireball like it was nothing. That’s odd because five minutes before chugging it you refused alcohol from the bartender.” Cas recalled.  
“And with cuts that deep, Sweet P. You weren’t trying to discipline yourself” Dean said throwing his burger wrapper in the trash bin, as if he were playing basketball. He whispered a small yes to himself when he made it in. Sam gave him an evil eye for being inappropriately childish when we were clearly talking about something serious.   
“I think Aphrodite took away your ability to love yourself.” Sam concluded. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.  
“I haven’t loved myself since I was 8, Sam. How can she take away something I never had?” I replied to him.  
“It doesn’t matter, it’s gone and you need it back. So let’s go get it.” Said Dean loading his gun with a bullet and holstering it behind his back. Sam looked surprised and walked after Dean who had opened the door and grabbed his bag, to leave for Baby. 

“Dean! Wait! It’s the middle of the night. Where would she be with no leads?” Sam said.  
I put my hand on Sam’s shoulder. I smiled at him, genuinely, “It’s okay, let’s go.” Cas followed behind us and we all hastily packed up our things as Dean started the car. We got into town about 10 minutes later. Rothbury was even more of a ghost town at night. I liked it being in it’s devoid streets. If I wanted to smash all the store windows, I felt like I could have. They all got ready in a few minutes and were ready, I noticed something was missing.  
“Uh, so no weapon for me?” I asked. Dean sighed and rubbed his forehead.  
“Phae, you’ve got Ju-Ju-juice. And I don’t want to risk anything. You can get this back when you get better.” He tapped a knife clipped to the outside of his pocket, ready to slice against flesh. I understood his concern and felt the same way. I kept my mouth shut, that would be best for everyone. We all paused in front of the building we were ready to go into. I took a deep breath. I had never been in a club before, but I’ve heard what goes on in them. 

Walking in we stood out a little. Maybe more so I and Cas with his trench coat. I wasn’t offended by the dancer’s beautiful bodies. It made me a tad jealous since my own body wasn’t filled out in certain areas. I looked around to find Aphrodite, was she wearing the same dress? The stench of beer permeated the club and was thick in the air. Dean motioned to Sam to split up and yelled in his ear. I couldn’t hear him speak even though we were packed in like sardines. The music was too loud.   
Some strange man grabbed me from behind. His hands treading where they shouldn’t, his lips coaxing veins in my neck. Every effort to shove him away was thwarted, he was simply to strong. In that moment I couldn’t act on my powers, I had forgotten how to use them. Dean turned noticing I wasn’t near him. A flash of confusion was washed away by pure red rage on his face. Dean grabbed the knife from his pocket and stuck it into the man’s shoulder with ease. The man let go of me. Dean punched him square in the jaw more than a couple times. The music stopped, the lights turned on, I looked around. All the patrons were gone, even the dancers.   
“You fuckin’ touch my daughter again I won’t hesitate to kill you” Dean warned the man removing the blade without mercy. Clapping came from behind me on stage. It was Aphrodite in her rosy red dress. 

“Do you see now little one? How much you are loved?” She preached. Dean was irritated. Sam and Cas caught up with us. Sam asked if I was alright, and I nodded.   
“You got our attention by molesting her? That doesn’t sound like the goddess of love to me” Dean said wiping the blood from the blade on his jeans.   
“There are many kinds of love Dean. I’ve exposed you to them all, this should be no surprise to you.” Aphrodite replied.  
“Give it back, her self-love.” Dean demanded. Aphrodite tensed her eyes at him. 

“I don’t do well with requests. The heart wants what it wants. And you, poor girl. I have tried so hard to get you to love yourself. You’re feeling it now, you’re afraid of it.” Aphrodite hoped down from the stage and walked up to me. I was sobbing uncontrollably.   
“I don’t know how. Not after the Trials. I’m so confused, mama. She did unspeakable things to me. How can I love myself after that?” I confessed. Aphrodite placed her hand gently over my heart and uttered one word, Kardia. Aphrodite looked at me sadly before looking at the boys. 

“I know you’ll treat her well. She deserves every ounce. Goodbye my darlings.” She said with a smile. She burst into fluttering doves and the club was back to normal with all their inhabitants. Kate Bush’s “running up that hill” was playing loudly over the speakers. I was the first to exit the building. A couple walking down the sidewalk grazed my shoulder and made me trip. The man apologized to me but kept walking with his wife. It was Lawrence and his wife, the ones that killed themselves in the bar earlier that day.   
“Well, looks like she restored the town to it’s former loving glory” stated Cas. Sam and Cas loaded up in Baby, just as I was going to hop in my seat, Dean came from around the driver’s side. He put his hand on my shoulder, “Hey, there’s still hope.” He told me and hugged me tight. He kissed my head sweetly. I got in Baby and he started her up smiling at her familiar purr. 

“Oh, you can have this back now.” Said Dean waving the knife in my face.   
“Thank you. All of you.” I said. I watched the town lights as we passed through. It was easy for me to fall asleep, the rumble of Baby’s engine soothing me to sleep. 

End of Chapter 2.


End file.
